Kamala Devi Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. Her mother, Dr. Shyamala Gopalan Harris, was a breast cancer researcher who immigrated from India to the United States. Her father, Donald Harris, is a Jamaican-born economics professor. After her parents divorced, Kamala Harris and her sister Maya were raised by their mother.

The family moved to Montreal, Canada, during Harris’s childhood, where she graduated from Westmount High School. Harris completed her undergraduate education at Howard University in Washington, D.C., one of the historic Black universities, majoring in political science and economics.

During her university years, she served as a representative on the COAS Freshman Council, joined Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., and actively participated in the debate team. After earning her bachelor’s degree in 1986, she enrolled at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, and received her Juris Doctor in 1989.

Kamala Harris was admitted to the California State Bar in 1990 and began her career at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, specializing in child abuse and sexual offenses. In 1998, she joined the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office and later served as head of the Children and Families Unit at the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.

In 2003, she was elected District Attorney of San Francisco and served two terms in that role. During her tenure, she developed reform-oriented practices in criminal justice, established an environmental justice unit, and launched innovative programs aimed at rehabilitating offenders through education and employment for the first time in the city’s history.

^{Kamala D. Harris} (Biden White House Archive)

In 2010, Harris was elected Attorney General of California, becoming the first woman, the first African American, and the first South Asian American to hold that office. She pursued active policies in areas such as access to healthcare, environmental regulation, and combating organized crime.

In 2016, Harris was elected to the United States Senate, becoming the first South Asian American and the second African American woman to serve in the Senate. She served on the Budget, Homeland Security, Intelligence, and Judiciary Committees. During her tenure, she focused on issues including immigrant rights, election security, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and environmental regulation. In 2019, she launched a campaign for the presidency but withdrew from the race in December 2019. In August 2020, she was selected by Joe Biden as his running mate for vice president.

^{Kamala D. Harris} (The Office of Kamala D. Harris)

Kamala Harris was sworn in as the 49th Vice President of the United States on January 20, 2021. In this role, she became the first woman, the first African American, and the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office. During her vice presidency, she led efforts to defend fundamental freedoms including women’s reproductive rights, the right to a life free from gun violence, and access to clean air and water. She visited 36 states and undertook 17 international trips, engaging in diplomatic meetings with more than 150 leaders across 21 countries.

As President of the Senate, she became the vice president with the most tie-breaking votes in American history. In this capacity, she played a decisive role in the passage of critical legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act. She also presided over the Senate vote that confirmed Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman, to the Supreme Court. During this period, Harris also took active roles in addressing the climate crisis, infrastructure investment, expanding access to healthcare, and increasing capital access for small businesses.

In July 2024, following President Joe Biden’s announcement that he would not seek re-election, Harris declared her candidacy for president. On August 2, she secured the Democratic Party’s nomination after receiving support from its delegates. After a 107-day general election campaign, she lost the presidential race against Donald Trump. Throughout the campaign, she emphasized freedom, aiming to provide economic opportunities for low-income families, reduce the cost of living, and address the housing crisis.